Large-scale precipitation estimation using Kalpana-1 IR measurements and its validation using GPCP and GPCC data

Large-scale precipitation estimation is very important for climate science because precipitation is a major component of the earth's water and energy cycles. In the present study, the GOES precipitation index technique has been applied to the Kalpana-1 satellite infrared (IR) images of every three-hourly, i.e., of 0000, 0300, 0600,??., 2100?hours UTC, for rainfall estimation as a preparatory to the INSAT-3D. After the temperatures of all the pixels in a grid are known, they are distributed to generate a three-hourly 24-class histogram of brightness temperatures of IR (10.5?C12.5???m) images for a 1.0°?×?1.0° latitude/longitude box. The daily, monthly, and seasonal rainfall have been estimated using these three-hourly rain estimates for the entire south-west monsoon period of 2009 in the present study. To investigate the potential of these rainfall estimates, the validation of monthly and seasonal rainfall estimates has been carried out using the Global Precipitation Climatology Project and Global Precipitation Climatology Centre data. The validation results show that the present technique works very well for the large-scale precipitation estimation qualitatively as well as quantitatively. The results also suggest that the simple IR-based estimation technique can be used to estimate rainfall for tropical areas at a larger temporal scale for climatological applications.     

Satellite estimates and subpixel variability of rainfall in a semi-arid grassland

卫星估雨精度的不确定性受到当地降雨类型和像元内降雨非均匀性影响,而结合这两个关键因素开展半干旱草原卫星估雨的研究有限.2009年夏,我们在中国锡林郭勒半干旱草原用多部微雨雷达和雨量计构建了9 km卫星像元降雨观测网,观测了像元内降雨非均匀性(空间变异系数CV),并评估了卫星估雨精度.结果表明:(1)CV值受像元内平均降雨量,降雨类型,降雨云面积及移向等影响,如高Cv值的降雨过程大多为平均降雨量小,对流性降雨过程,降雨云边缘像元CV值较高;(2)TRMM 3B42V7卫星估雨产品适用性较好,CMORPH和PERSIANN次之,但TRMM 3B42V7易在半干旱草原湖泊处高估降雨.     

Tropical Precipitation Estimated by GPCP and TRMM PR Observations

In this study, tropical monthly mean precipitation estimated by the latest Global Precipitation Climatology Project （GPCP） version 2 dataset and Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission Precipitation Radar （TRMM PR） are compared in temporal and spatial scales in order to comprehend tropical rainfall climatologically. Reasons for the rainfall differences derived from both datasets are discussed. Results show that GPCP and TRMM PR datasets present similar distribution patterns over the Tropics but with some differences in amplitude and location. Generally, the average difference over the ocean of about 0.5 mm d^-1 is larger than that of about 0.1 mm d^-1 over land. Results also show that GPCP tends to underestimate the monthly precipitation over the land region with sparse rain gauges in contrast to regions with a higher density of rain gauge stations. A Probability Distribution Function （PDF） analysis indicates that the GPCP rain rate at its maximum PDF is generally consistent with the TRMM PR rain rate as the latter is less than 8 mm d^-1. When the TRMM PR rain rate is greater than 8 mm d^-1, the GPCP rain rate at its maximum PDF is less by at least 1 mm d^-1 compared to TRMM PR estimates. Results also show an absolute bias of less than 1 mm d^-1 between the two datasets when the rain rate is less than 10 mm d^-1. A large relative bias of the two datasets occurs at weak and heavy rain rates.     

TRMM-retrieved Cloud Structure and Evolution of MCSs over the Northern South China Sea and Impacts of CAPE and Vertical Wind Shear

Cloud structure and evolution of Mesoscale Convective Systems(MCSs) retrieved from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Microwave Imager(TRMM TMI) and Precipitation Radar(PR) were investigated and compared with some pioneer studies based on soundings and models over the northern South China Sea(SCS).The impacts of Convective Available Potential Energy(CAPE) and environmental vertical wind shear on MCSs were also explored.The main features of MCSs over the SCS were captured well by both TRMM PR and TMI.However,the PR-retrieved surface rainfall in May was less than that in June,and the reverse for TMI.TRMM-retrieved rainfall amounts were generally consistent with those estimated from sounding and models.However,rainfall amounts from sounding-based and PR-based estimates were relatively higher than those retrieved from TRMM-TMI data.The Weather Research and Forecasting(WRF) modeling simulation underestimated the maximum rain rate by 22% compared to that derived from TRMM-PR,and underestimated mean rainfall by 10.4% compared to the TRMM-TMI estimate,and by 12.5% compared to the sounding-based estimate.The warm microphysical processes modeled from both the WRF and the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble(GCE) models were quite close to those based on TMI,but the ice water contents in the models were relatively less compared to that derived from TMI.The CAPE and wind shear induced by the monsoon circulation were found to play critical roles in maintaining and developing the intense convective clouds over SCS.The latent heating rate increased more than twofold during the monsoon period and provided favorable conditions for the upward transportation of energy from the ocean,giving rise to the possibility of inducing large-scale interactions.     

用TRMM资料研究1998年长江流域暴雨

热带测雨卫星ＴＲＭＭ资料于１９９８年６月起向公众用户开放。本文使用了１９９８年７月２０日世界时２１：４０分的ＴＲＭＭ资料对长江流域暴雨作了初步研究。ＴＲＭＭ导出的降水产品亦与雨量计，地面雷达观测以及数值模拟结果进行了比较。由此得出，ＴＲＭＭ资料非常适合于暴雨监测研究。此外，它们还有其他广泛得用途。     

Evaluation of TRMM multi-satellite precipitation analysis (TMPA) against terrestrial measurement over a humid sub-tropical basin,India

To support the GPM mission which is homologous to its predecessor, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), this study has been undertaken to evaluate the accuracy of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission multi-satellite precipitation analysis (TMPA) daily-accumulated precipitation products for 5 years (2008–2012) using the statistical methods and contingency table method. The analysis was performed on daily, monthly, seasonal and yearly basis. The TMPA precipitation estimates were also evaluated for each grid point i.e. 0.25° × 0.25° and for 18 rain gauge stations of the Betwa River basin, India. Results indicated that TMPA precipitation overestimates the daily and monthly precipitation in general, particularly for the middle sub-basin in the non-monsoon season. Furthermore, precision of TMPA precipitation estimates declines with the decrease of altitude at both grid and sub-basin scale. The study also revealed that TMPA precipitation estimates provide better accuracy in the upstream of the basin compared to downstream basin. Nevertheless, the detection capability of daily TMPA precipitation improves with increase in altitude for drizzle rain events. However, the detection capability decreases during non-monsoon and monsoon seasons when capturing moderate and heavy rain events, respectively. The veracity of TMPA precipitation estimates was improved during the rainy season than during the dry season at all scenarios investigated. The analyses suggest that there is a need for better precipitation estimation algorithm and extensive accuracy verification against terrestrial precipitation measurement to capture the different types of rain events more reliably over the sub-humid tropical regions of India.     

TRMM测雨雷达对1998年东亚降水季节性特征的研究

利用热带测雨计划卫星上的测雨雷达得到的降水资料,对1998年东亚降水,特别是中国大陆东部、东海和南海的降水,进行了分析研究,并对比了热带降水研究结果。年统计结果表明,东亚地区层状云降水出现概率极高(比面积达83.7％),对流云降水的比面积仅占13.6％,然而两者对总降水量的贡献相当。结果还表明,暖对流云降水出现的比例和对总降水量的贡献很小。在季节尺度,对流云和层状云降水的比与两者的面积比成比例关系。除夏季外,测雨雷达降水量与GPCP降水量可比性好。研究结果还指出:在中纬度陆地和海洋上对流云和层状云的比降水量和比面积呈相反方向作季节性南北移动,这一活动与东亚季风变化一致;该地区降水的季节性变化还表现为降水垂直廓线的变化。除冬季外,南海地区降水垂直结构呈热带特征。CRAD分析表明,对流云降水的地面雨强变化大,尤其在陆地上,而层状云多表现为地面弱降水。     

Variability of the TRMM-PR total and convective and stratiform rain fractions over the Indian region during the summer monsoon

Level 3 (3A25) TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) data are used for 13 years period (1998–2010) to prepare climatology of TRMM PR derived near surface rain (Total rain) and rain fractions for the 4-months duration of Indian Summer Monsoon season (June–September) as well as for individual months. It is found that the total rain is contributed mostly (99 %) by two rain fractions i.e. stratiform and convective rain fractions for the season as well as on the monthly basis. It is also found that total rain estimates by PR are about 65 % of the gauge measured rain over continental India as well as on sub-regional basis. Inter-annual variability of TRMM-PR rain estimates for India mainland and its sub-regions as well as over the neighboring oceanic regions, in terms of coefficient of variability (CV) is discussed. The heaviest rain region over north Bay of Bengal (BoB) is found to have the lowest CV. Another sub-region of low CV lies over the eastern equatorial Indian ocean (EEIO). The CVs of total rain as well as its two major constituents are found to be higher on monthly basis compared to seasonal basis. Existence of a well known dipole between the EEIO and the north BoB is well recognized in PR data also. Significant variation in PR rainfall is found over continental India between excess and deficit monsoon seasons as well as between excess and deficit rainfall months of July and August. Examination of rainfall fractions between the BoB and Central India on year to year basis shows that compensation in rainfall fractions exists on monthly scale on both the regions. Also on the seasonal and monthly scales, compensation is observed in extreme monsoon seasons between the two regions. However, much less compensation is observed between the north BoB and EEIO belts in extreme rain months. This leads to speculation that the deficit and excess seasons over India may result from slight shift of the rainfall from Central India to the neighboring oceanic regions of north BoB. Contribution of stratiform and convective rain fractions have been also examined and the two fractions are found to contribute almost equally to the total rain. Results are further discussed in terms of the possible impact of the two rain fractions on circulation based on possible difference is vertical profiles of latent heat of two types of rain. Substantial differences in the lower and upper tropospheric circulation regimes are noticed in both deficit and excess monsoon months/seasons, emphasizing the interaction between rainfall (latent heat) and circulation.     

Validation of TRMM-3B42 precipitation product over the tropical Indian Ocean using rain gauge data from the RAMA buoy array

In the present study, an attempt has been made to validate the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA)-3B42 recently released version 7 product over the tropical Indian Ocean using surface rain gauges from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory Research Moored Array for African–Asian–Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction buoy array available since late 2004. The validation exercise is carried out at daily scale for an 8-year period of 2004–2011. Results show statistically significant linear correlation between these two precipitation estimates ranging from 0.40 to 0.89 and the root-mean-square error varies from about 1 to 22 mm day^?1. Although systematic overestimation of precipitation by the TMPA product is evident over most of the buoy locations, the TMPA noticeably underestimates higher (more than 100 mm day^?1) and light (less than 0.5 mm day^?1) precipitation events. The highest correlation is observed during the southwest monsoon season (June–September) even though bias is the maximum possibly due to relatively lower fraction of stratiform precipitation during the monsoon season than other seasons. Furthermore, the TMPA estimates slightly underestimate or misses intermittent warm precipitation events as compared to the precipitation radar derived precipitation rates.     

Assessing the performance of satellite-based precipitation products and its dependence on topography over Poyang Lake basin

Satellite-based precipitation products (SPPs) have greatly improved their applicability and are expected to offer an alternative to ground-based precipitation estimates in the present and the foreseeable future. There is a strong need for a quantitative evaluation of the usefulness and limitations of SPPs in operational meteorology and hydrology. This study compared two widely used high-resolution SPPs, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Precipitation Estimation from Remote Sensing Information using Artificial Neural Network (PERSIANN) in Poyang Lake basin which is located in the middle reach of the Yangtze River in China. The bias of rainfall amount and occurrence frequency under different rainfall intensities and the dependence of SPPs performance on elevation and slope were investigated using different statistical indices. The results revealed that (1) TRMM 3B42 usually underestimates the rainy days and overestimates the average rainfall as well as annual rainfall, while the PERSIANN data were markedly lower than rain gauge data; (2) the rainfall contribution rates were underestimated by TRMM 3B42 in the middle rainfall class but overestimated in the heavy rainfall class, while the opposite trend was observed for PERSIANN; (3) although the temporal distribution characteristics of monthly rainfall were correctly described by both SPPs, PERSIANN tended to suffer a systematic underestimation of rainfall in every month; and (4) the performances of both SPPs had clear dependence on elevation and slope, and their relationships can be fitted using quadratic equations.     

利用热带降雨测量卫星的微波成像仪观测资料反演陆地降水

利用热带降雨测量卫星的微波成像仪资料，结合淮河流域试验加密观测期的阜阳地面天 气雷达雨量资料，建立了以散射指数和极化订正温度为主要参数的降水反演算法。对文 中所做反演试验与日本ＮＡＳＤＡ用微波成像仪和星载测雨雷达反演的雨强进行了比较。结果表明 ，文中所用的方法在反演陆地下垫面的降雨强度的分布和降雨区域的确定是比较成功的。     

南海中尺度大气海浪耦合模式及其对该区一次强台风过程的模拟研究

利用中尺度大气模式MM5(V3)和第3代海浪模式WWATCH建立考虑大气-海浪相互作用的风浪耦合模式.在耦合模式中引入考虑波浪影响的海表粗糙度参数化方案,大气模式分量提供海面10 m风场驱动海浪模式分量运行,并利用海浪模式分量反馈的波龄参数计算海表粗糙度.利用耦合模式模拟南海的一次台风过程,通过3组对比试验,检验耦合模式对台风过程的模拟效果并研究大气-海浪相互作用对台风过程的影响.结果表明:耦合模式能够较好地模拟南海的台风过程,与非耦合大气模式相比,其模拟的台风强度略有增强,路径变化不大;耦合模式对台风过程中海表热通量及降水影响显著,在台风充分发展过程中,耦合模式模拟的海表热通量增强,台风螺旋雨带上尤其是台风路径的右侧,耦合模式模拟的降水强于非耦合模式;耦合模式较好地模拟了台风过程海浪场的分布和演变,与非耦合模式相比,其模拟的海浪场增强,与实际更为接近;考虑了海表粗糙度对波浪的依赖关系后,海浪场同时影响海表的动力过程和热力过程,从本次个例看,在台风发展初期,海浪对海表动力作用影响显著,其反馈作用使台风系统减弱,但在台风充分发展后,耦合系统中海表热通量增加,热力作用显著增强,海浪的反馈作用有利于台风系统的发展和维持.     

Retrieval of Liquid Water Path Inside Nonprecipitating Clouds Using TMI Measurements

Quantitative estimates of liquid water path （LWP） in clouds using satellite measurements are critical to understanding of cloud properties and the assessment of global climate change. In this paper, the relationship between microwave brightness temperature （TB） and LWP in the nonprecipitating clouds is studied by using satellite microwave measurements from the TRMM Microwave Imager （TMI） onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission （TRMM）, together with a radiative transfer model for microwave radiance calculations. Radiative transfer modeling shows that the sensitivity is higher at both 37.0- and 85.5-GHz horizontal polarization channels for the LWP retrievals. Also, the differences between the retrieved values responding to TBs of various channels and the theoretical values are displayed by the model. Based upon above simulations, with taking into account the factor of resolution and retrieval bias for a single,channel, a nonprecipitating cloud LWP in the summer subtropical marine environment retrieval algorithm is formulated by the combination of the two TMI horizontal polarization channels, 37.0 and 85.5 GHz. Moreover,by using TMI measurements （1Bll）, this algorithm is applied to retrieving respectively LWPs for clear sky, nonprecipitating clouds, and typhoon precipitating clouds. In the clear sky case, the LWP cl~anges from -1 to 1 g m-2, and its mean value is about 10^-5 g m^-2. It indicates that, using this combination retrieval algorithm, there are no obvious systemic deviations when the LWP is low enough. The LWP values varying from 0 to 1000 g m^-2 in nonprecipitating clouds are reasonable, and its distribution pattern is very similar to the detected results in the visible channel of Visible and Infrared Scanner （VIRS） on the TRMM. In typhoon precipitating clouds, there is much more proportion of high LWP in the mature phase than the early stage. When surface rainfall rate is lower than 5 mm h^-1, the LWP increases with increasing rainfall rate.     

OBSERVATION RESEARCH FOR THE MEASURING RAINFALL CAPACITY OF TRMM/TMI-85.5G BASED ON PRECIPITATION DATA DURING THE HEAVY RAIN EXPERIMENT IN SOUTHERN CHINA

The capacity of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Satellite for measuring rainfall was examined by using TMI-85.5 GHz microwave image data and precipitation data during a heavy rainfall experiment in southern China. From comparisons with the distribution of rain amount in an hour with BB T of 85.5 GHz microwave, it is clear that the center of heavy rain corresponds with an area of low BB T value. The location and shape of BB T distribution is similar to that of precipitation, and the larger the rainfall rates, the lower the BB T . A statistic analysis shows that the correlation coefficients between BB T and rain rates is negative and significant. Especially, when the rain rate is over 7 mm/h, the correlation degree between BB T and rain rates is more significant. The results shows that TRMM/TMI-85.5 G has great ability to measure convective heavy rain.     

基于GPM卫星的广东汛期降水日变化特征与评估

新一代全球降水观测计划GPM作为TRMM卫星的继承者,在物理探测和降水反演算法上具有明显进步。以广东省雨量自动站为基准,对2014—2018年间GPM的格点降水估测产品IMERG（V5B）的日变化特征和估测误差进行分析。结果表明,IMERG能清晰反映广东前、后汛期的降水双峰型特征,但对下午降水峰值明显高估,峰值出现时间滞后;而对于沿海早晨峰值降水则明显低估,对于降水极值,低估更加显著。IMERG对两个峰值的估测误差受不同因素影响,下午峰值降水的相对偏差与地形密切相关,珠江三角洲平原为稳定高估区,地形高度越高,低估幅度越大;而早晨峰值降水极值负偏差与地形高度、降水量的相关性均较小。对出现显著负偏差的早晨沿海降水样本日进行925 hPa风场合成,可知IMERG明显低估时,对应区域上游较强的超低空西南气流与风速夜间增长。IMERG对这一季风活动背景降水的低估构成了其估测早晨降水误差的主要来源。      

The Structure and Rainfall Features of Tropical Cyclone Rammasun （2002）

Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) data [TRMM Microwave Imager/Precipitation Radar/Visible and Infrared Scanner (TMI/PR/VIRS)] and a numerical model are used to investigate the structure and rainfall features of Tropical Cyclone (TC) Rammasun (2002). Based on the analysisof TRMM data, which are diagnosed together with NCEP/AVN [Aviation (global model)] analysis data,some typical features of TC structure and rainfall are preliminary discovered. Since the limitations of TRMM data are considered for their time resolution and coverage, the world observed by TRMM at several moments cannot be taken as the representation of the whole period of the TC lifecycle, therefore the picture should be reproduced by a numerical model of high quality. To better understand the structure and rainfall features of TC Rammasun, a numerical simulation is carried out with mesoscale model MM5 in which the validations have been made with the data of TRMM and NCEP/AVN analysis.     

一种基于TMI观测结果的海表温度反演算法

基于星载微波仪器观测结果反演海表温度,能很好地克服云对反演结果的干扰,实现对海表温度全天候的监测.文中利用热带测雨卫星所搭载的微波成像仪的观测结果,建立了一种新的适用于非降水条件下的海表温度反演算法.作为一种半经验统计算法,它以辐射传输方程为基础,通过理论模拟计算,建立海表温度与微波成像仪多通道亮温之间的关系,较好地反...     

对流天气系统自动站雨量资料同化对降雨预报的影响

利用GRAPES(Global and Regional Assimilation and Prediction Enhanced System,全球/区域同化预报系统)三维变分同化系统,针对对流天气系统特点,用改进的郭晓岚对流参数化方案作为观测算子,同化广东省自动站记录的对流天气系统的雨量资料,并且与同化探空资料进行了比较.在雨带有明显改进的区域,分别同化这两种资料都可以调整大气低层水汽辐合增加(或辐散),对流层中下层增暖增湿(或变冷变干),从而增加(或减少)降水,表明降水的同化方案对初始场的调整在一定     

Validation of TRMM Precipitation Radar satellite data over Indonesian region

Research has been conducted to validate monthly and seasonal rain rates derived from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Precipitation Radar (PR) using rain gauge data analysis from 2004 to 2008. The study area employed 20 gauges across Indonesia to monitor three Indonesian regional rainfall types. The relationship of PR and rain gauge data statistical analysis included the linear correlation coefficient, the mean bias error (MBE), and the root mean square error (RMSE). Data validation was conducted with point-by-point analysis and spatial average analysis. The general results of point-by-point analysis indicated satellite data values of medium correlation, while values of MBE and RMSE tended to indicate underestimations with high square errors. The spatial average analysis indicated the PR data values are lower than gauge values of monsoonal and semi-monsoonal type rainfall, while anti-monsoonal type rainfall was overestimated. The validation analysis showed very good correlation with the gauge data of monsoonal type rainfall, high correlation for anti-monsoonal type rainfall, but medium correlation for semi-monsoonal type rainfall. In general, the statistical error level of monthly seasonal monsoonal type conditions is more stable compared to other rainfall types. Unstable correlations were observed in months of high rainfall for semi-monsoonal and anti-monsoonal type rainfall.     

ESTIMATION OF CLOUD LIQUID WATER OVER THE HUBEX AREA USING THE TRMM MICROWAVE IMAGER

The ability of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Microwave Imager(TRMM/TMI)forcloud liquid water(CLW)retrieval has been demonstrated in this study.Due to the greatsensitivity of the TMI 85.5 GHz channels to CLW,the liquid water path(LWP)ofnonprecipitating clouds over land can be successfully estimated using the VDISORT model basedon the iteration steps.Both the vertical-polarized 85. 5 GHz single-channel method and thepolarization-difference of 85.5 GHz method were applied to the LWP estimates over land regionsduring the Huaihe River Basin Energy and Water Cycle Experiment(HUBEX)in China.Theretrieval results show reasonable agreement with the ground-based microwave radiometermeasurements.When the surface emissivity or skin temperature is difficult to be made sure,thepolarization-difference method shows advantages of providing estimates of LWP especially for lowclouds because of its extremely insensitiveness to the surface skin temperature.